Pawnee Pioneer Trails Overview

Pawnee Pioneer Trails is the kind of scenic route the high plains are known for – open and endless. The land reveals itself in increments on this seemingly infinite expanse of short grass prairie. Only the distant silhouette of the Rocky Mountains and the sudden upward jut of the Pawnee Buttes disturb the tranquil union of earth and sky. The surrounding region, first settled by 19th Century homesteaders, remains prime agricultural land, punctuated by tidy rural towns and modern-day homes on the range.

Besides stunning panoramas of the gentle rolling prairie, travelers along Pawnee Pioneer also enjoy Pawnee National Grassland's recreational pursuits, set among a unique and magnificent location. Campers and picnickers find a haven at Crow Valley Recreation Area. Surrounding its sites is a grove of elm and cottonwood tree, offering much needed shade and cooler temperatures in the warmer summer months. Bird-watching is one of the most popular attractions on Pawnee Pioneer Trails. Pawnee National Grassland is an internationally recognized area to watch for birds of prey. Hawks and falcons nest in the rocky cliffs at Pawnee Buttes. Bird-watchers can take the Pawnee Buttes Trail to glimpse these amazing predators and the Buttes also!

Sterling Visitor (CO) [1]

Travel back to the Old Wild West on Pawnee Pioneer. The Briggsdale Heritage House, an old schoolhouse in Briggsdale, stores old photo albums and other written histories. Travelers can also stop at the Grover Grassland Museum, a former railroad depot in Grover, for a walk through of local times and culture. Tourists can also visit old pioneer homesteads and explore history first-hand.

The prairie bestows an exceptional opportunity for seclusion and vast open spaces. Along Pawnee Pioneer Trails one can take the time to appreciate a soaring hawk or watch the breeze glide through fields of grass and wildflower. The serenity Pawnee Pioneer Trails brings will always entice travelers to return.